Meal Planning needs to happen at the start of the week in order to prepare shopping list and ingredients needed for the whole week. I usually plan before a Sunday for the week, as we do groceries on a Sunday.
I try to make sure I am organised with meal planning so that we don't spend too much on money on food, and there is little waste. It also makes us eat better instead of just getting in take away. With the late return of MJL from work we usually end up taking the easy way out. It is a bad habit to get in to. When I meal plan it cuts out this option.
What I use for Meal Planning
A day to day table shown in picture (I got this one from Kmart!)
Pen (of course)
A shopping list. Read below for another tip
Cook books
Internet for recipes
Diary for knowing what is happening throughout the week.
Tabs for labelling the recipes going to use.
I have a range of cook books from Kmart or magazines when I have gone shopping. I tend to use the same cookbooks or use the internet rather than using cookbooks as they are easier to access.
How I meal plan:
Gather all my supplies ready
I write in each day at the bottom what is happening with OJ and then what is happening with MJL or I. That way I know if I have something big on that day I wont be able to plan a slow cook meal as I wont be home.
Look through recipes.
I tab the recipe I want to use so I can find it later
On a shopping list I write the ingredients (and write what day they are for so I can remember)
I write in the table for that day what the meal is and where the recipe is
Put the shopping list ready to go for groceries
Put the table on the fridge so that we know what meal is when (this helps for getting out meat the night before)
I usually plan fairly simple meals. Our staples for meals are spaghetti bol, stirfries, my easy to make slow cook meal (see vlog) and snitzels. All meals we have with vegetables!
Tips for Meal planning:
Use google home to make shopping list! That way you cant forget it when you go shopping
Be organised with what is happening for the week
Dont plan a long process meal if you have something big on that day
Be flexible!
Be prepared that sometimes it wont go to that plan- but try to stick to it the best you can. Otherwise it won't work as well and you won't want to meal plan
Make sure to make the meal plan visual for the whole household. I find this helps with the planning.
Encourage kids to get involved. My daughter chooses a meal each week. Sometimes even helps me to make the list.
Most of all Have fun with it!!
How do you meal plan for your household? Have I forgotten any useful tips? Add them to the comment section below.
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